WO1995034405A1

WO1995034405A1 - Method and arrangement for identifying tools in a moulding machine

Info

Publication number: WO1995034405A1
Application number: PCT/DK1994/000234
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anders Mortensen; Jens Peter Larsen
Original assignee: Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S
Priority date: 1994-06-14
Filing date: 1994-06-14
Publication date: 1995-12-21
Also published as: AU7121094A

Abstract

When making moulds in a moulding machine with a mould chamber (1), in which moulds (not shown) are made by compacting mould sand between patterns (4, 6) carried by pattern plates (5, 7), the pattern plates (5, 7) are identified by means of interrogators (13) permanently secured to a squeeze plate (8) and a counter-pressure plate (10) respectively, and adapted to cooperate without relative movement with responders (14) in the pattern plates (5, 7). The interrogators (13) may be of the type transmitting an interrogating signal and a power field to the responders (14), the latter using power extracted from the power field to transmit an identification code back to the interrogator (13), said code being transferred to the controlling computer (not shown). By proceeding in this manner, the central computer will always 'know' which patterns are operational, so as to ensure conformity with the production being run at any time.

Description

Method and arrangement for identifying tools in a moulding machine

The present invention relates to a method of identifying at least one tool or tool carrier to be used in a moulding machine for shaping mould material, said method being of the kind set forth in the preamble of claim 1.

TECHNICAL FIELD

It is known to provide tools or tool carriers, such as pat¬ terns or pattern plates or core masks to be used in a moul¬ ding machine, with identification means adapted to cooperate with reading means permanently associated with the moulding machine, in order to check the identity of the tool placed in the position concerned in the machine. The previously known methods have comprised the use of identification and reading means functioning only during relative movements, e.g. in the same manner as the information on a credit card is read by moving the credit card through a stationary cre- dit-card reader. The dirt and dust, some of which may even be magnetic, present in foundries may, however, compromise the correct functioning of equipment of the kind indicated.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of the kind referred to above, with which it is possible to achieve an accurate and reliable identification of the tools, such as patterns or core masks, concerned, and this object is achieved by proceeding in the manner set forth in the characterizing clause of claim 1. By proceeding in this manner, the disadvantages referred to above are avoided, at the same time making it possible to carry out the identifi¬ cation process with the tool concerned placed in its final operating position. The present invention also relates to an arrangement for carrying out the method of the invention. This arrangement is of the kind set forth in the preamble of claim 4, and is according to the invention characterized by the features set forth in the characterizing clause of this claim 4.

Advantageous embodiments of the method and the arrangement, the effects of which are explained in the following detailed portion of the present description, are set forth in claims 2 and 3 and 5-9 respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed portion of the present description, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to purely exemplary embodiments shown in the - in part highly diagrammatic - drawings, in which

Fig. 1 partly in longitudinal section shows the parts of a moulding machine centered around the moulding chamber of said machine,

Fig. 2 at an enlarged scale and in longitudinal section shows a part of the squeeze plate and the associated pattern plate shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a core-setter console, to which a core mask is releasably secured,

Fig. 4 is a front view showing a manually movable inter¬ rogator in its rest position hanging on an associated con¬ nection box, and

Fig. 5 is an overall view showing the parts of an automated foundry plant, to which the present invention is relevant. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The part of a moulding machine shown in Fig. 1 comprises a moulding chamber 1, bounded by a total of six walls, i.e. a top wall 2, a bottom wall 3, two side walls in front of and behind the plane of the drawing and hence not visible, a movable pattern 4 secured to a pattern plate 5, and finally a stationary pattern 6 secured to a pattern plate 7. In this example, the expressions "movable" and "stationary" are used to signify that the pattern concerned is either movable or stationary during the mould-pressing process taking place in this particular example.

The movable pattern 4 with its pattern plate 5 is releasably secured to a squeeze plate 8, the latter being permanently secured to a hydraulic piston or piston rod 9. The stationary pattern 6 with its pattern plate 7 is releasably secured to a counter-pressure plate 10 that may be pivoted upwards about a pivot axis 11 so as to move the stationary pattern 6 out of the way, when a newly-formed mould (not shown) is to be pushed out from the mould chamber 1 by means of the squeeze plate 8.

The mould sand that is to be used for making each mould is introduced through a hopper 12 communicating with the moul¬ ding chamber 1 through an opening in the top wall 2.

All the parts shown in Fig. 1 described up to this point are well known to persons with a knowledge of modern foundry technology, as are the processes, by which moulds are made by means of these parts.

A more detailed description of the process may be found in the literature relating to the "DISAMATIC" moulding machines manufactured and marketed by the applicants. According to the invention, the parts of the moulding machine adapted to cooperate with interchangeable tools, such as patterns, core masks and the like with any associated car¬ riers, are provided with interrogators 13, and the inter¬ changeable tools, with which they are adapted to cooperate, are provided with responders 14, each facing an interrogator 13 on the moulding-machine part in question when operatively secured to the latter.

Each interrogator 13 is adapted to provoke the associated responder 14 to come forth with a code message uniquely identifying the tool carrying the particular responder 14. Examples of interrogators and responders together with as¬ sociated equipment, suitable for use in the present connec¬ tion, are described in the handbook "Induktive Identifika- tionssysteme System R (Fixcode)" issued on February 2, 1993 by Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH Fabrikautomation, Mannheim, Germany.

In a manner not shown, all the interrogators 13 are connected to the central control equipment for the moulding machine, such as the computer 15 shown in Fig. 5. On the other hand, the responders 14 are not galvanically connected to anything, as they are intended to communicate solely with the inter¬ rogators 14. Briefly, each interrogator will, when ordered to do so by the computer 15, transmit an interrogating signal that is received by the responder 14 concerned, provoking the latter to transmit an identification code to the inter- rogator 13, the latter passing this code on to the computer 15. To avoid the necessity of using batteries in the respon¬ ders 14, the arrangement is such that during the process of interrogation, each interrogator 13 also transmits a power field, e.g. an alternating electrical magnetic field, which is converted in the responder 14 to electrical power adequate for feeding its active circuitry. All that is required for the interrogation process to be effective is that the interrogators 13 and the responders 14 concerned are placed facing each other in such a manner, that the transfer of information and energy can take place. Thus, no relative movement, such as is generally known from the use of credit cards and the like, is required, and nei¬ ther a moderate amount of dirt on these parts nor a mode¬ rate mutual distance between them will affect the interro- gation process. Relative movement - within limits - will not, however, affect the transfer of information and energy.

Figure 3 shows how the invention may be practiced by provi¬ ding a core-setter console 16 with an interrogator 13 adapted to cooperate with a responder 14 on a core mask 17 releasably connected to the console 16.

When preparing for a new production run, it may be useful to enter the identification codes for tools, such as pat- terns, that have not yet been placed in the moulding machine. To this end, the manually movable interrogator 18 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be used. As shown in these Figures, the interrogator 18 is connected through a flexible cable 19 to a connection box 20 having an operating button 21 and an acknowledgement lamp 22. The connection box 20 is connected to the computer 15 as shown in Fig. 5.

When it is necessary to enter an identification code for a pattern outside of the moulding machine into the computer 15, the interrogator 18 is placed manually in abutment with the responder on the pattern concerned, after which the operating button 21 is pressed, calling forth an interroga¬ ting signal from the interrogator 18, which when received by the responder concerned will cause the latter to transmit the identification code, which is then received by the in¬ terrogator 18 and transferred back to the computer 15 for incorporation in the operating programme for the next pro¬ duction run, the acknowledgement lamp 22 lighting up as a confirmation that the identification code has been properly entered into the computer 15. Also when using the manually operable interrogator 18, no relative movement that could require special care to be taken by the operator is needed. In addition to the moulding chamber 1 and associated parts shown in Fig. 1 and the computer 15 and associated equipment, Fig. 5 also shows a pattern store 23 in the form of a reci- procable carriage 24 carrying a number of storage stations in the form of uprights 25. Each upright 25 carries an inter¬ rogator 26 adapted to cooperate with the responder 14 on each of the pattern plates 5 or 7 stored in the pattern store 23. All the interrogators 26 are, of course, connected to the computer 15.

In an automated foundry, in which the present invention is used, the principle illustrated in Fig. 5 may be realized by equipping the mould-making plant, of which the moulding machine 1 etc., the computer 15 with associated equipment and the pattern store 23 are components, with automatic conveying equipment symbolically shown by a double arrow 27 and adapted to transfer pattern plates 5 and 7 back and forth between the moulding machine and the pattern store. Such equipment is part of the prior art, and an example thereof is described in European Patent No. 59551. Robotic equipment may also be used.

In a foundry plant embodying the principles illustrated in Fig. 5, the controlling computer 15 will always "know" where the various pattern plates with their associated patterns are, so that it can order the reciprocable carriage 24 and the conveying equipment as symbolized by the double arrow 27 to make the requisite moves for exchanging the pattern plates 5 and 7 at any time present in the moulding machine with other pattern plates 5 and 7 stored in the pattern store 23, all in conformance with the new production run to be commenced.

The plant may also comprise a core-mask store (not shown), in principle functioning in the same manner as the pattern store 23 shown in Fig. 5.

It must be assumed that persons with an average knowledge of foundry equipment and technology, electronics and automatic data processing will be able to design the requisite mecha¬ nical and electrical equipment and data-processing programmes for carrying out the invention without further guidance from the present description.

LIST OF PARTS

5 1 Moulding chamber

2 Top wall

3 Bottom wall

4 Movable pattern

5 Pattern plate

10 6 Stationary pattern

7 Pattern plate

8 Squeeze plate

9 Piston (rod)

10 Counter-pressure plate 15 11 Pivot axis

12 Hopper

13 Interrogator

14 Responder

15 Computer

20 16 Core-setter console

17 Core mask

18 Interrogator

19 Flexible cable

20 Connection box 25 21 Operating button

22 Acknowledgement lamp

23 Pattern store

24 Reciprocable carriage

25 Upright

30 26 Interrogator

27 Double arrow

Claims

CLAIMS .

1. Method of identifying at least one tool or tool carrier to be used in a moulding machine for shaping mould material, such as suitably prepared sand, said method com¬ prising the use of a) an interrogating device permanently secured to or associated with said moulding machine and adapted to coope¬ rate with b) a responding device secured to each tool or tool carrier and adapted to identify itself to said interrogating device by means of a code being unique for each tool or type of such, characterized by the use of an interrogating device and at least one responding device capable of cooperating while not moving relative to each other.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a) an interrogating device capable of transmitting an interrogating signal carried by an alternating electro¬ magnetic field, and of receiving a response signal carried by an alternating electromagnetic field transmitted by b) at least one responding device adapted to transmit a response signal carried by an alternating electromagnetic field upon receiving an interrogating signal transmitted by the interrogating device.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the use of a) an interrogating device capable of transmitting an electromagnetic power field towards b) at least one responding device capable of receiving said power field and using it for generating response sig- nals.

4. Arrangement for carrying out the method according to any one or any of the claims 1-3 with a moulding machine of the kind comprising a) a moulding chamber (1) and means (12) for intro- ducing mould material into said chamber (1), b) moulding tools or moulding tool carriers, such as patterns (4,6) or core masks or carriers (5,7) for same, and c) at least one interrogating device (13) permanently secured to or associated with said moulding machine and each adapted to cooperate with d) a responding device (14) secured to each tool or tool carrier and adapted to identify itself to the inter¬ rogating device concerned by means of a code being unique for each tool or type of such, characterized in that each interrogating device (13) and each responding device (14) are of the type capable of cooperating while not moving relative to each other.

5. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized by a) at least one interrogating device (13,18,26) ca¬ pable of transmitting an interrogating signal carried by an alternating electromagnetic field, and of receiving a res¬ ponse signal carried by an alternating electromagnetic field transmitted by b) at least one responding device (14) adapted to transmit a response signal carried by an alternating elec¬ tromagnetic field upon receiving an interrogating signal transmitted by the interrogating device concerned.

6. Arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, charac¬ terized by a) at least one interrogating device (13,18,26) ca¬ pable of transmitting an electromagnetic power field towards b) at least one responding device (14) capable of receiving said power field and using it for generating res- ponse signals.

7. Arrangement according to any one or any of the claims 4-6, characterized by at least one manually operable interrogating device (18) adapted to cooperate with respon¬ ding devices (14) on tools or tool carriers not placed in operating positions in the moulding machine.

8. Arrangement according to any one or any of the claims 4-7 and of the kind comprising a tool store (23) associated with the moulding machine and adapted to store a number of different tools or tool carriers (5,7) and deliver selected ones of these to the moulding machine, characterized in that said tool store (23) comprises at least one inter- rogating device (26) adapted to cooperate with the responding device (14) on each tool or .tool carrier (5,7) so as to identify the latter.

9. Arrangement according to any one or any of the claims 4-9 and of the kind comprising or associated with data-processing equipment (15) adapted to receive operating programmes for the operation of the moulding machine (1 etc. ) as well as condition-reporting signals from various parts of and/or stations in the moulding machine and to control the operation of the moulding machine in dependence thereupon, characterized in that at least one interrogating device (13,18,26) is adapted to transmit a response signal from a cooperating responding device (14) to said data-pro¬ cessing equipment (15).